LibriVox recording of The Variable Man, by Philip K. Dick. Read by Gregg Margarite.
Predictability has come a long way. The computers of the future can tell you if you’re going to win a war before you fire a shot. Unfortunately they’re predicting perpetual standoff between the Terran and Centaurian Empires. What they need is something unpredictable, what they get is Thomas Cole, a man from the past accidently dragged forward in time. Will he fit their calculations, or is he the random variable that can break the stalemate? – The Variable Man first appeared in the September, 1953 issue of Space Science Fiction magazine. (Summary by Gregg Margarite)
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Reviewer:mikezane -
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May 12, 2010 Subject:
Such a cool story
John Cole is the variable man from the past who is brought by accident to the future. It's a good thing too, because without him, the Terrans really can't fix Icarus, the bomb destined to free the Terrans from Centarian blockade.
Ah, but what would a story be without an antagonist? Enter Reinhart, the shoot-em-first-and-ask-questions-later general who doesn't like variables in his war calculations. In fact, he prefers dead variables.
I have to say, for a short story, this one really kept me listening. It was great! The reader is also great; I enjoy his style of reading. Enjoy!